The Entwined Fingers
by Blodigealach
Summary: As they became adult, they separated ways. Future, Semi-AU fic. Various pairings.


Series: Prince of Tennis  
Disclaimer: Konomi Takeshi  
Pairing: Various

* * *

A certain Japanese _Enka_ song echoed inside the one-room apartment. It came from the white cellphone that was placed on a nightstand. Soon enough, a hand poked out from under the thick sheet and searched blindly for the phone. When he finally found it, he lazily pulled it under the sheet. Written on the screen was a name he knew too well. He grunted once before he pressed the green button and placed the phone on his ear.

"What is it, Sanada? It's goddamn 7 AM here," he mumbled as he swiped away the stray strands of midnight blue from his forehead.

"Then you're supposed to be already awake since 2 hours ago," replied the tenor voice from the other end of the phone. Yukimura grunted again as he rolled on his bed, still feeling terribly sleepy.

"It's Saturday, for God's sake. Let me sleep as much as I want," he growled. There was silence on both ends before Sanada decided to speak again.

"So you don't wish to hear anything from me?" he asked. Yukimura stayed still for a couple minutes before he got up from his bed, walking to the kitchen counter to prepare a cup of coffee to fresh him up. He took a clean cup—the only one left since he had used the rest to stash his brushes and pencils and everything else—and reached for the instant coffee from a drawer where he also kept his medications.

"No," he said with a soft tone, "Tutor me again about the Sengoku Period."

-/-

It was yet another though day in the hospital. The emergency room never seemed to be empty, despite being on Saturday afternoon. Many of them who filled the beds were suicide victims, with various creative ways to end their life—although cutting their wrist was still the most popular way. Although, of course, most of them did it wrong so their life could be saved. The silver-haired man sat down on the available seat, feeling tired although his shift had just started an hour ago.

At the time like that, he missed the rattail he used to keep. He had to cut it when he entered university, for both professionalism and hygiene reasons. Sometimes sacrifices were needed, whether it's big or small.

The television in the waiting room showed a sport channel, and he looked at it idly. It had been quite a while since the last time he did a proper sport, although he always hastily traveled around the hospital, taking patients after patients to their respective rooms. Sometimes he also stood for hours and hours, either watching on the senior doctors operating a patient or assisting them in an operation.

His mind drifted from one thing to another before the cameraman took a shoot of a certain brunette. He felt his heart skipped a beat as he saw the spectacled man on the grass field; a hand holding a golf club while the other was adjusting his hat.

Pair of aquamarines were fixed on the screen until his pager beeped, telling him that he got yet another patient to check. He quickly jumped off from his seat, rushing to emergency room without even glancing at the screen again.

There was someone who needed his attention more than a person who can't even see him.

-/-

It was twilight already when the curly-haired man reached their meeting place. He knew that he was very late, yet he still bet on his luck and came to the place anyway. Although the time they spent together aren't too long, he was sure that the man that was once his senior and his rival wouldn't be that strict and heartless towards him. So when he scanned the whole café and found no single clue of the older man's whereabouts, he was devastated.

"You're late by 2 hours, 18 minutes, and—" He flipped open his cellphone to check on the clock. "—29 seconds. Mind to explain why?"

The younger man turned around and found the older man, and his emerald eyes were instantly glistened in tears. Yanagi didn't leave the café, as he expected before. Yet although he already predicted it, he couldn't help but felt extremely relieved when he saw him.

"I just got back from toilet, if that's what you want to ask," answered Yanagi before Kirihara even asked it. The tennis player grinned widely, gleeful to know that the data-man-turned-translator was still as sharp as always.

"Well, I—Press conference, and running away from rabid fans. I'm still learning on how to sneak away from them," said Kirihara, answering Yanagi's previous question.

"Wear the beanie I made you last autumn. I hate to say it, but the main reason why you stand up very much in crowd is because of your hair," suggested Yanagi as he scouted the younger man to their seat.

"That's it? Just wear the beanie, and it's done?" asked Kirihara. Yanagi smiled, and Kirihara unconsciously blushed when he also showed his rarely opened eyes. The pair of ambers was still as warm as he could remember.

"My success rate is always 100%, Akaya."

-/-

The redhead sighed as he took a good look on his masterpiece. The 7-tiered cake sat gracefully on the counter, decorated with roses and ribbons made of fondant. He was satisfied with that, and he's sure that his client would also love it. Even his co-workers and seniors admitted him as genius.

As he washed his hands, one of his co-workers poked his shoulder and handed him a letter. He quickly wiped his hand and took that letter; curious about whom it was from. From the stamp attached to the corner of the envelope, he already knew the sender. Carefully, he ripped open the envelope and took out a card that was sitting in it.

It was a wedding invitation, of Jackal and a woman he didn't know about. Marui smiled bitterly as he fished his cellphone from his pocket, composing e-mail to his former doubles partner. He already knew from long that one day it would come to that, but it still didn't stop him from feeling somewhat heartbroken.

_Hey, I've just received the invitation—congratulation on your wedding. How about a marvelous cake from a genius? Don't worry; it's on me. I'm indebted to you after all. Just take it as a token of gratitude for everything you've done for me._

The e-mail was sent, and he received the reply in almost no time. It was short, but he knew that it's probably because Jackal was still busy watching over the kids in the caretaking service where he worked. It was still afternoon, after all.

_You know that I always love whatever a genius like you made._

Marui chuckled on the reply. It's indeed not the first time he sent the cakes he made to Jackal, and it's certainly not the first time he received such compliment from the bald man. He sighed again, and a single tear rolled down from the amethyst.

"Idiot…"

* * *

Note:

Hello, this is Hiro. First off, I want to apologize for the length of this story. It's very short, I realize that, but that's the best I can give on my current condition. Also, I hereby announce that I'm retiring from writing fanfictions. No need to worry; Agito will still continue writing, but I decide that I want to stop. I have my own reasons, but I don't think it's necessary to explain about it. I want to thank every single one of you for your constant support and love. I'm glad that this time I manage to say a proper goodbye, since I was unable to do so the last time I left the world of fanfiction writing.

Sei, I thank you for giving me the chance to write with you again. Mitsukai-san, thank you for everything you've done, and I pray for your safe return. Riah-san, thank you for your care and support; I hope to see more of your writings. Chacho-san, I apologize that I haven't had the chance to complete your request.

Thank you for everything and goodbye,

E•I•Yuu (Hiro)


End file.
